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MAN LIVE
Main Feature: Live at the Marquee 1983 - Track list: Even Visionaries Go Blind; C'Mon; Talk About a Morning; Back Together Again / A Hard Way to Die; Ride the View; Asylum; Romain; Hard Way to Live; Bananas
(c 55 mins)
Additional Material: Acoustic session / interview with Martin Ace (c 25 minutes)
The history of Man is a long and complex affair, and with the various line up changes that have occurred over the years it is impossible to really give anything more than a very brief overview here.
From modest beginnings in Swansea in the late sixties, Man were to emerge from the psychedelic era and rise steadily through the ranks of the British progressive movement of the period. The band followed a punishing work schedule, spending a good deal of time on the road, much of it outside the UK, but they built a solid following for themselves - much of it on the strength of their live performances.
The pressures of life on the road, combined with a hectic release schedule that saw at least one album being issued each year, meant that it was only a matter of time before something gave and, perhaps
inevitably, the group went their separate ways towards the end of 1976.
On 1st April 1983 the band reformed and played their first gig in nearly seven years at London's Hope and Anchor.
Revitalised after their lay off, the band quickly returned to live shows and notable performances that year saw the band play to a huge crowd at the annual Reading Rock Festival, plus an invitation to be involved in the 25th anniversary celebrations of London's prestigious Marquee Club. Throughout the 80's and 90's Man continued to be play and record, and interest in the band remains strong to this day.
The main feature on this DVD is a recording of the aforementioned 1983 show at the London Marquee, at a time when the lineup consisted of Deke Leonard (guitars, vocals), Martin Ace (bass, vocals), Mickey Jones
(guitar, vocals) and John Weathers (drums).
I believe that this show has (in part at least) previously been released in video format under the title 'Bananas', but the transition onto this medium certainly offers huge benefits in improved picture and sound quality - both of which are faultless.
The tracks played provide a good cross selection of the band's material across the years, and there are strong elements of R'n'B, rock and progressive elements to be found on the way through.
The way that Leonard, Ace and Jones divide up the lead vocal duties also provides a nice mix of styles which adds considerably to the overall variety of the band's repertoire. The fact that Man perform their material with such obvious relish is clear to see and, even on the strength of this one show, it is not hard to understand why the band were so widely respected as a live act.
The Marquee always was a venue that had very much of a club atmosphere, and on busy nights the crowd would be packed in very tightly. A certain Scottish gentleman once described playing there as being
"like a confessional" and "the most intimate gig we can do" - well, different band, but this film nonetheless manages to capture something of that spirit.
The filming itself certainly shows the band off to good effect, and despite the limiting effect on movement of such a small stage, the combination of shots from four different camera positions helps keep the show
looking fresh and interesting throughout - although from what I can remember of the place, how they got four cameras as well as an audience in there beats me!
Despite the fact I was not overly familiar with Man's music before I started watching this DVD, I have found that the music on this live footage to be very accessible and I believe it should be well received by
confirmed fans and newcomers alike...
The second major feature, and the one that proves to be a real must have for those who have followed the band over the years, is the Martin Ace acoustic session.
This part of the DVD features Martin Ace in a studio armed with an acoustic guitar playing a selection of seven tracks, comprising his own material, some arrangements of more traditional folk songs, and a cover of Buddy Holly's 'Well Alright'.
Between playing / singing there are interview sections where Martin gives some fairly detailed insights into the band's history, during the course of which the man's passion for simply going out and playing to people
is evident.
The only downside to this part of the disk is that there is no track listing provided, and none of the songs are introduced by name.
The use of subtitles on the film would perhaps have been a nice touch here, but apart from this one minor niggle, I found this section to be very interesting and I have no criticisms to make in terms of content or quality.
Also to be found on the disk are the usual short biography and discography of the band, but as is often the case these tend to be very brief and, while nice to have, they are not essential.
The lack of any degree of interactivity here makes this section just a little too basic for long time fans, but there is probably enough here to keep newcomers happy.
This is a very solid no-nonsense disk and I suspect that seasoned fans will rejoice at the chance to get such good quality live footage of the band from a classic period of their history.
The additional Martin Ace session adds a further compelling reason to add this DVD to one's collection. At the same time it's equally true to say that this disk also offers an excellent entry point into Man's music, and if you are not familiar with the band then this could just prove to be the ideal introduction to one of Wales' finest.
Simon 17th April 2002
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